vincelette

Saturday, May 11, 2013

"A journey is a person in itself; no two are alike. And all plans, safeguards, policing, and coercion are fruitless. We find that after years of struggle that we do not take a trip; a trip takes us." (John Steinbeck)

Hey happy seniors! Here are the words you will need to study for the vocabulary quiz on Wednesday, 5-15-2013.acclamation (n): a shout of welcome; an overwhelming verbal vote of approvalbucolic (adj): characteristic of the countryside, rural, rustic; relating to shepherds and cowherds; pastoralcalumniate (v): to slander; to accuse falsely and maliciouslychary (adj): extremely cautious, hesitant, or slow withcollusion (n): secret agreement or cooperationdilettante (n): a dabbler in the arts; one who engages in an activity in an amateurish wa, trifling wayimperturbable (adj): not easily excited; emotionally steadyincrement (n): an enlargement, increase, additionmandate (n): an authoritative command, formal order, authorizationpaltry (adj): trifling, insignificantparoxysm (n): a sudden outburst; a spasm, convulsionpedantry (n): a pretentious display of knowledge; overly rigid attention to rules and detailsperegrination (n): the act of traveling; an excursion, especially on foot or to a foreign countryprofane (adj): impure, defiled; worldly, not connected with religious or spiritual matters; (v): to treat with irreverence or contemptproffer (v): to present or offerredolent (adj): fragrant; smelling strongly; tending to arouse memories or create an aurarefulgent (adj): shining, radiant, resplendentshibboleth (n): a word, expression, or custom that distinguishes a particular group of persons from all otherstyro (n): a beginner, novice; one with little or no background or skillunremitting (adj): not stopping, maintained steadily, never letting up, relentlessvacillate (v): to swing indecisively from one idea or course of action to another; to waver weakly in mind or willvituperative (adj): harshly abusive, severely scoldingHappy studying!

Monday, April 22, 2013

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.”

Helen Keller (1880-1968)For all my 12th graders:The following is a list of the new vocabulary words from allege to substantive:allege (v): to assert without proof or confirmationarrant (adj): downright, thorough, blatant (as in arrant knaves)badinage (n): light and playful conversationconciliate (v): to overcome the distrust of; win over; to appease, pacify; to reconcilecountermand (v): to cancel or reverse one order or command with another that is contrary to the firstechelon (n): one of a series of levels or grades in an organization or field of activityexacerbate (v): to make worse; to make more violent, severe, or painfulfatuous (adj): stupid or foolish in a self-satisfied wayirrefutable (adj): that cannot be disproved; beyond argumentjuggernaut (n): a massive and inescapable force or object that crushes whatever is in its pathlackadaisical (adj): lacking spirit or interest; halfheartedlitany (n): a prayer consisting of short appeals to God; any repetitive chant; a long list (as in a litany of complaints) macabre (adj): grisly, gruesome, horrible, distressing, having death as a subjectmelange (n): a mixture, a medleypaucity (n): an inadequate quantity; scarcityportend (v): to indicate beforehand that something is about to happen; to give advance warning ofraze (v): to tear down, destroy completelyrecant (v): to withdraw a statement or belief to which one has previously been committed; retractsaturate (v): to soak thoroughly, fill to capacity, to satisfy fullysaturnine (adj): of gloomy or surly disposition; cold or sluggish in moodslough (v): to cast off, discard; to get rid of something objectionable or unnecessarysubstantive (adj): pertaining to the essence or substance of something; existing in its own right; real, solid, of major importanceThere will be a quiz on these 22 words at the beginning of next week.Keep practicing your senior presentations! And don't forget to submit your reflective essays to RIEPS.Have a great night. I hope to see you all tomorrow.

Sunday, March 24, 2013

“The year you were born marks only your entry into the world. Other years where you prove your worth, they are the ones worth celebrating. ” ― Jarod Kintz, This Book Title is InvisibleThe following post will explain what's tentatively on tap for my 12th graders this week.Period 1Grade 12APWe have begun reading Hamlet. I expect you to keep a reading log as we journey through the text. I will distribute instructions for each entry tomorrow, Monday, 3-25-13. Final drafts of your research papers are due tomorrow.There will be a word quiz on Thursday, 3-28-13. All words and their definitions appear at the end of this post.Periods 3 and 4Grade 12CPEveryone should now have a copy of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. The reading assignment due on Monday is for reading up to and including Chapter 8. Book projects (of your outside reading) are due on Wednesday, 3-27-13. Please keep in mind that because this project was assigned weeks ago, it is considered a long-term assignment. Fifty (50) points will be deducted for any project not handed in on time. Only excused absences are exempt from this policy!There will be a word quiz on Thursday, 3-28-13. All words and their definitions appear at the end of this post.VOCABULARY WORDSallay (v): to calm or pacify, set to rest; to lessen or relievebestial (adj): beast-like; beastly, brutal; subhuman in intelligence and sensibilityconvivial (adj): festive, sociable; having fun together, genialcoterie (n): a circle of acquaintances; a close-knit, often exclusive, group of people with a common interestcounterpart (n): a person or thing closely resembling or corresponding to another; a complementdemur (v): to object or take exception toeffrontery (n): shameless boldness; impudenceembellish (v): to decorate, adorn, touch up; to improve by adding detailsephemeral (adj): lasting only a short time, short-livedfelicitous (adj): appropriate, apt, well-chosen; marked by well-being or good fortune, happyfurtive (adj): done slyly or stealthily; sneaky, secret, shiftygarish (adj): glaring; tastelessly showy or overdecorated in a vulgar or offensive wayillusory (adj): misleading, deceptive; lacking or not based on realityindigent (adj): needy, impoverishedinordinate (adj): far too great, exceeding reasonable limits, excessivejettison (v): to cast overboard, get rid of as unnecessary or burdensomemisanthrope (n): a person who hates or despises peoplepertinacious (adj): very persistent; holding firmly to a course of action or a set of beliefs; hard to get rid of, refusing to be put off or denied picayune (adj): of little value or importance, paltry, measly; concerned with trifling matters, small-mindedraiment (n): clothing, garmentsthreshold (n): the board or stone that lies under a door, sill, the place or point of entering or beginning, outset; the point at which a physiological or psychological effect is produced, brinkwraith (n): a ghostly apparition, specter Enjoy the remainder of your week-end. I hope to see you all tomorrow!

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

“On the fifth day, which was a Sunday, it rained very hard. I like it when it rains hard. It sounds like white noise everywhere, which is like silence but not empty.” ― Mark Haddon, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-TimePeriod 1Grade 12 APJust a gentle reminder that there will be a test on Wednesday, 3-13-2013 on all previous vocabulary words beginning with asseverate. There are 66 words total, but the test will contain only 50.Also, please begin work on your portfolio reflective essays which are also due on Wednesday, the 13th. These must be corrected and returned to you for submission to your portfolios by 4-1-2013.We continue with the study of sonnets, both Petrarchan (Italian) and English (Shakespearean). Periods 3 and 4Grade 12 CP

Just a gentle reminder that there will be a test on Wednesday, 3-13-2013 on all previous vocabulary words beginning with asseverate. There are 66 words total, but the test will contain only 50.Also, please begin work on your portfolio reflective essays which are also due on Wednesday, the 13th. These must be corrected and returned to you for submission to your portfolios by 4-1-2013.We are finishing Hamlet; Act V is up this week. I will collect journals on Friday. If you will be on a field trip that day, you must hand in the journal before leaving school. If you are absent, you will be given one day to hand in the journal.Finally, continue to read your outside reading books and to plan your projects. They are due on Wednesday, March 27, 2013.I hope to see you all tomorrow!

Wednesday, February 6, 2013

WORDS OF THE DAY (from 1-28-13 to 2-5-13)derelict (n): someone or something that is neglected or abandoneddiatribe (n): a bitter or prolonged verbal attackeffigy (n): a crude image of a despised personequity (n): the state or quality of being just or fair or impartial; fair and equal treatmentsinane (adj): silly; empty of meaning or valueindictment (n): the act of accusing; a formal accusationindubitable (adj): certain; not to be doubted or deniedintermittent (adj): stopping and beginning again; sporadicmeretricious (adj): spuriously attractive in a showy, cheap or vulgar way; lacking sincerity and honestymoot (adj): open to discussion and debate, unresolvedmotif (n): a principal idea or feature; a repeated or dominant figure in a designPeriod 1English 12APWe have begun the research paper process in earnest with many opportunities to think about direction and conduct research. I hope to complete our unit on The Canterbury Tales by the end of the week and have students write an in-class essay on either "The Miller's Tale" or "The Wife of Bath's Tale" at the beginning of next week. The rough draft of the thesis, outline, and works cited page are due on Monday, 2-11-13.Periods 3 and 4English 12CPWe are in the middle of Act III of Hamlet and working on the third soliloquy of our tragic hero. By now, you should have 21 journal entries. I will be collecting your journals when there are roughly 30 entries. Everyone has handed in their final drafts of their research papers --Hooray!! This quarter you will be reading independently a book by a British author and completing a reading project. I hope to see you all in class...be safe!

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

"Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions" - Albert EinsteinWORDS OF THE DAY (from 1-22 to 1-25-13)reputed (adj): according to reputation or general belief; having widespread acceptance; allegedsophistry (n): reasoning that seems plausible but is actually unsoundsumptuous (adj): costly, rich, magnificentubiquitous (adj): present or existing everywhereabject (adj): degraded, wretched, complete and unrelieved; contemptibleagnostic (n): one who believes that nothing is known about God; a skepticcomplicity (n): involvement in wrongdoing; the state of being an accomplicePeriod 1Grade 12APThe research paper process has begun. Signed contracts were handed in on Friday, 1-25-13 and the class went to the library on Monday and Tuesday to begin hunting for secondary sources. Students are working on an analysis of one essay of literary criticism which is due this Friday, 2-1-13. We are also working on "The Wife of Bath's Prologue and Tale."Periods 3 and 4Grade 12CPWe have begun reading The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark in earnest with daily journaling to record thoughts, impressions, questions, etc. As of today, everyone should have read through Act II scene i and should have 18 journal entries.Do not forget to study for the word quiz on Thursday, 1-31-13. Words to know are recumbent to nuance.Have a wonderful night!